French Peasant or Italian Prince — François Savoie

B. about 1621 in (probably) Martaizé, France¹
M. about 1651 in Port-Royal, Acadia¹
Wife: Catherine Lejeune
D. after 1671 in (probably) Port-Royal, Acadia²

François Savoie has perhaps gained more notoriety centuries after his death than he had during his life because some family historians have tried to claim he was an Italian prince.

François had an interesting enough life without any connection to royalty. He was born in about 1621,¹ and he made his way to the colony of Acadia probably during the 1640s.¹ Acadia, which is present-day Nova Scotia, had been seeking French people to engage in fishing and agriculture, and many signed up for it. François settled in Port-Royal, and in about 1651, he married Catherine Lejeune,¹ who is believed to have been born in France in about 1633.³ They had nine children between about 1653 and 1669.

The entire family was listed in the 1671 Acadia census as living in Port-Royal, with François being a farmer.² Despite the large number of people in his household, he only owned 4 cattle and no sheep. Oldest daughter Françoise was listed a second time in the household next door as the 18-year-old wife of Jean Corporan and mother of a newborn daughter. 

1671 Acadia census listing for François and his family.

Those who lived in the French colony of Acadia were always on edge because of the English wanting to control the region. During François’ time, they did take charge in 1654, and ruled Acadia until 1670. This didn’t create a huge hardship, though, for the settlers; military confrontation with the English would come in the next couple generations. It's unknown when François and his wife Catherine died.

Like most early settlers of Acadia, François and Jeanne's descendants scattered to a number of places in America. After the expulsion of 1755, they were exiled temporarily to many places, including the British American colonies, the area around the St. Lawrence River in Canada, and France. A large number of Savoie descendants were said to have arrived in Louisiana in 1765 to settle permanently.⁴ Along with other Acadian refugees, they would evolve into the people of the bayou — the Cajuns.

Among some descendants, stories were said to be passed down claiming François was not a Frenchman — that he was actually the illegitimate son of an Italian nobleman named Tommaso Francesco Savoie, making him a “prince.”⁵ While this story hasn’t been disproven, there’s no documentation to back it up, and Y-DNA evidence seems to refute it.⁵ Other research has shown there was a family named Savoie in the village of Martaizé, France, and other Acadian families appear to be from the same area. This seems a more likely place of origin for François. He was an ancestor of Tom Bergeron and Matt LeBlanc.

Tommaso Francesco Savoie

Children:
1. Marie-Françoise Savoie — B. about 1653, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. 27 Dec 1711, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁶ M. Jean-François Corporon (~1647-1713), 1668, Port-Royal, Acadia⁷

2. Germain Savoie — B. about 1654, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. before 24 Nov 1749, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁸ M. Marie Breau (1662-1749), before 1678, Port-Royal, Acadia⁹

3. Marie Savoie — B. about 1657, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. 10 Mar 1741, Louisbourg, Acadia;¹⁰ M. Jacques Triel (1646-?), about 1676, Acadia¹⁰

4. Jeanne Savoie — B. about 1658, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. 3 Nov 1735, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁸ M. Étienne Pellerin (~1647-1722), about 1675, Port-Royal, Acadia⁹

5. Catherine Savoie — B. about 1662, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. after 21 Jan 1725, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹¹ M. François Levron dit Nantois (~1651-1714), about 1676, Port-Royal, Acadia¹⁰

6. François Savoie — B. about 1663, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. after 1671²

7. Barnabé Savoie — B. about 1665, Port-Royal, Acadia;² D. after 1671²

8. Andrée-Marguerite Savoie — B. about 1667, Port-Royal, Acadia;² M. Jean Prejean (~1651-1733), 1683, Port-Royal, Acadia¹⁰

9. Marie-France Savoie — B. about 1669, Port-Royal, Acadia;² M. Gabriel Pierre Chiasson (1667-1741), 1688, Port-Royal, Acadia¹⁰

Sources:


1    “Acadians Who Found Refuge in Louisiana, February 1764-early 1800s,” Acadians in Gray (website)
2    1671 Acadian Census
3    WikiTree listing of Catherine Lejeune  
4    “BOOK SIX: The Acadian Immigrants of Louisiana,” Acadians in Gray (website) 
5    Research Notes in WikiTree listing of François Savoie  
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Françoise Savoie 
7    Marriage date based on age of oldest child
8    “An Acadian Parish Remembered: The Registers of St. Jean-Baptiste, Annapolis Royal, 1702-1755” (website)  
9    1678 Port Royal Census  
10  Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes, Stephen A. White, 1999, pp. 1351, 1457, 1548-49
11  Burial record of Pierre Levron, Canadiana Heritage (website)

Accused of Insulting the Governor — Agnes Morin

B. 21 Jan 1641 in Quebec City, New France¹
M. (1) 17 Nov 1653 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniére
M. (2) 12 Jan 1671 in Quebec City, New France³
Husband: Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré
D. 30 Aug 1687 in Quebec City, New France⁴

During the 1670s, Agnes Morin was charged for being too outspoken with the colony’s authorities. And this led to what must have been a frightening situation for her.

Agnes was a member of one of the founding families of Quebec. Her mother was Hélène Desportes, the first European child born in what is now Canada, and her father was Hélène’s second husband, Noël Morin. Agnes was born on January 21, 1641 in Quebec City,¹ and she grew up there in a household with 11 younger siblings, plus two older half-siblings.

During the mid-17th century, there were few marriageable girls in New France, and brides were often very young. Agnes was wed at the age of 12 on November 17, 1653 to Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniére,² who was in his early 30s. She had her first child, a daughter, when she was 15.⁵ Agnes and Nicolas had six children born between 1656 and 1667. Nicolas died on June 22, 1669 and was buried the following day at Notre-Dame in Quebec City.⁶ On January 12, 1671, Agnes married Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré,³ a man who was a few years younger than she was. They had a daughter born within the year,⁷ followed by eight more children, with the youngest born in 1685.⁸

Agnes’ life was marked by an event for which some of the details are sketchy. The governor of New France in the 1670s was an ex-military man named Louis de Baude de Frontenac, who was said to be contentious and arrogant.⁹ Governor Frontenac took charge of the French colonies in 1672, having spent much of his life in the French royal court. He had certain demands for protocol when he became the governor in New France, and he often clashed with the people around him, including the Sovereign Court,⁹ which handled judicial matters. 

Governor Frontenac (Source: Thomas1313, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

One of the cases brought to the court in February 1678 involved Agnes, who had been charged with “uttering insulting words against the governor.”¹⁰ Exactly what Agnes said or did isn’t clear from records, but she seems to have been arrested and made to stand trial. Governor Frontenac may have himself pressed the charges, and Agnes said on the witness stand that his guards “ill-treated” her.¹¹ It was the Sovereign Court that had control of the proceedings, though, and after hearing several witnesses, they dismissed the case.

Governor Frontenac wasn’t pleased and he took his rage out on the clerk who served the court. First, he cornered the man after a dinner and demanded he share what was going on behind the closed court session. The clerk refused, then when Frontenac forced the information out of him, got even more angry that it wasn’t going as he liked. He ended up grabbing the clerk by his coat, and ordering his guards to lock the man up; the clerk was detained for several days.¹¹

After the incident involving her trial, Agnes returned to her life as a wife and mother. She passed away on August 30, 1687 in Quebec City,⁴ and was buried with her first husband Nicolas. Her second husband Ignace remarried in 1691 to the widow of Nicolas’ brother Jacques.¹² Among Agnes' many descendants are Madonna, Jim Carrey, Cliff Arquette, Roseanna Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Emeril Lacasse, June Foray, Leo Durocher, and Alex Trebek.¹³

Children by Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniére:
1. Hélène Gaudry — B. 5 Mar 1656, Quebec City, New France;⁵ D. 22 Nov 1712, St-Nicolas, New France;¹⁴ M. Pierre Boucher dit Desroches (1648-1702), 13 Dec 1671, Sillery, New France¹⁵

2. Jacques Gaudry — B. 24 Apr 1658, Quebec City, New France;¹⁶ D. 12 Feb 1731, Varennes, New France;¹⁷ M. (1) Jeanne-Françoise Guillory (1674-1700), 1 Feb 1694, Montreal, New France;¹⁸ (2) Anne Bourdon (1678-1743), 3 Nov 1701, Boucherville, New France¹⁹

3. Christine-Charlotte Gaudry — B. 16 Jun 1660, Quebec City, New France;²⁰ D. 17 Sep 1729, Ste-Croix, New France;²¹ M. Jean Hamel (1652-?), 16 Feb 1677, New France²²

4. Marie-Françoise Gaudry — B. 27 Aug 1662, Quebec City, New France;²³ D. 21 Oct 1710, Sillery, New France;²⁴ M. Jean Pilote (1657-1738), 27 Jun 1678, Quebec City, New France²⁵

5. Nicolas Gaudry — B. 16 Aug 1664, Quebec City, New France;²⁶ D. 30 Jan 1735, Montreal, New France;²⁷ M. Anne Pigeon (1672-1742), 7 Jan 1687, Montreal, New France²⁸

6. Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry — B. 6 Apr 1666, Quebec City, New France;²⁹ D. 30 May 1666, Quebec City, New France³⁰

7. Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry — B. 19 Nov 1667, Quebec City, New France;³¹ D. 9 Jun 1713, Montreal, New France;³² M. Joseph Lemay (~1661-1707), 4 Jun 1686, Quebec City, New France³³

8. Joseph-Alphonse Gaudry — B. 14 Feb 1670, Quebec City, New France³⁴

Children by Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré:
1. Marie-Catherine Bonhomme — B. 23 Nov 1671, Quebec City, New France;⁷ D. 14 Jul 1747, Quebec City, New France;³⁵ M. Louis Moreau (1668-1735), 29 Mar 1693, Quebec City, New France³⁶

2. Anne-Félicité Bonhomme — B. 7 Oct 1673, Quebec City, New France;³⁷ D. 8 Feb 1757, Quebec City, New France;³⁸ M. (1) Louis Lefebvre (1667-1669), 18 Mar 1697, Sainte-Foy, New France;³⁹ (2) Etienne Ayotte (1673-1758), 20 Jan 1702, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France⁴⁰

3. Anne-Agnes Beaupré — B. 21 Jun 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁴¹ D. 27 Aug 1703, Quebec City, New France;⁴² M. Pierre Dion (1674-1738), 1697, New France⁴³

4. Marie-Catherine Bonhomme — B. 12 Jun 1677, Sillery, New France;⁴⁴ D. 21 Feb 1745, Repntigny, New France;⁴⁵ M. (1) François Michel Provost (1669-1711), 23 Oct 1695, Ste-Foy, New France;⁴⁶ (2) Pierre Paris (1691-1746), 12 Feb 1714, Ste-Foy, New France⁴⁷

5. Ignace Bonhomme — B. 17 Oct 1678, Côte-St-Michel, New France;⁴⁸ D. 13 Mar 1755, Terrebonne, New France;⁴⁹ M. Marie-Therese Goulet (1691-1772), 9 Nov 1705, Montreal, New France⁵⁰

6. Jean Bonhomme — B. 26 Oct 1680, Quebec City, New France;⁵¹ D. 26 Dec 1702, Ste-Foy, New France⁵²

7. Charles-Ignace Bonhomme — B. 28 Sep 1682, Côte-St-Michel, New France;⁵³ D. 28 Oct 1752, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France⁵⁴

8. Noël Bonhomme — B. 13 Nov 1684, Côte-St-Michel, New France;⁵⁵ D. 28 May 1755, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France;⁵⁶ M. Felicite Hamel (1687-1743), 2 May 1709, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France⁵⁷

9. Marie-Madeleine Beaupré — B. 29 Oct 1685, Côte-St-Michel, New France;⁸ D. 13 Mar 1733, Quebec City, New France;⁵⁸ M. Pierre-Joseph Marache (1677-1717), 10 Nov 1710, Sainte-Foy, New France⁵⁹

Sources:
1    Burial record of Agnes Morin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniére and Agnes Morin, Q.C.P.R.
3    Marriage record of Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré and Agnes Morin, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Agnes Morin, Q.C.P.R.
5    Baptismal record of Hélène Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
6    Burial record of Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniére , Q.C.P.R.
7    Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Bonhomme Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Beaupré, Q.C.P.R.
9    Louis de Baude de Frontenac (Wikipedia article)
10  Court records of case of Governor Frontenac vs. Agnes Morin, 5 Dec 1678, BAnQ 
11  The Courtier Governor, W. J. Eccles, 1959
12  Marriage record of Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré and Anne Poirier, Q.C.P.R.
13  FamousKin.com listing of Agnes Morin  
14  Burial record of Hélène Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Pierre Boucher dit des Roches and Hélène Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jacques Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Jacques Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jacques Gaudry and Jeanne-Françoise Guillory, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Jacques Gaudry and Anne Bourdon, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Christine-Charlotte Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Christine-Charlotte Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean Hamel and Christine-Charlotte Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Jean Pilote and Marie-Françoise Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Nicolas Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Nicolas Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Nicolas Gaudry and Anne Pigeon, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry (older), Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry (older), Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry (younger), Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry (younger), Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Joseph Lemay and Agnes-Madeleine Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Joseph-Alphonse Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
35  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
36  Marriage record of Louis Moreau and Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
37  Baptismal record of Anne-Félicité Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
38  Burial record of Anne-Félicité Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
39  Marriage record of Louis Lefebvre and Anne-Félicité Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Etienne Ayotte and Anne-Félicité Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Anne-Agnes Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Anne-Agnes Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
43  Marriage record of Pierre Dion and Anne-Agnes Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
44  Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
45  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
46  Marriage record of François Michel Provost and Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
47  Marriage record of Pierre Paris and Marie-Catherine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
48  Baptismal record of Ignace Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
49  Burial record of Ignace Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Ignace Bonhomme and Marie-Therese Goulet, Q.C.P.R.
51  Baptismal record of Jean Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
52  Burial record of Jean Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
53  Baptismal record of Charles-Ignace Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
54  Burial record of Charles-Ignace Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
55  Baptismal record of Noël Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
56  Burial record of Noël Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
57  Marriage record of Noël Bonhomme and Felicite Hamel, Q.C.P.R.
58  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.
59  Marriage record of Pierre-Joseph Marache and Marie-Madeleine Bonhomme, Q.C.P.R.

Farmer and Miller in Early Brooklyn — Hans Jorise Bergen

B. 31 Aug 1684 in New Utrecht, New York¹
M. 16 Aug 1711 in (probably) Kings County, New York²
Wife: Sitje Van Wicklen
D. before 1 Oct 1726 in Hempstead, New York²

Before New York City was a crowded metropolis, people like Hans Jorise Bergen lived off the land, operating a flour mill right on the East River. Hans was born in New Utrecht on August 31, 1684 to Joris Hansen Bergen and Sara Stryker,¹ one of ten children. His heritage was Norwegian and Dutch, and included some of the original settlers of Brooklyn.

Hans was a young man of 24 when he joined his cousin Hans Michielse Bergen and others in causing a disturbance in town.³ On April 30, 1708, the group was tried for a “riot” at the tavern of Sarah Knight in Brooklyn. Mrs. Knight was the widow of an Englishman, Thomas Knight, and her tavern was located near the intersection of present-day Hoyt and Fulton streets. The tavern was next to land that had belonged to Hans’ father, and likely this is where Hans lived at the time. Mrs. Knight and another woman named Martha Brower were indicted for “false swearing” at the trial. It isn’t known if Hans or the others were convicted for the incident at the tavern, or even if they were guilty of anything at all.

Hans married a woman named Sitje Van Wicklen on August 16, 1711.² They are known to have had three children, and they may have had others. On February 9, 1713, Hans bought over 20 acres of land located on Wallabout Bay.³ The property had a creek and a recently-built grist mill. Hans took over and operated the mill for several years.² By the time he sold the property in 1723, it included a house, bolting house, bolting mill and dam along with the mill. There was also a meadow, and a beach on the East River.³

The man who bought the property was named Remsen, and the mill became known as Remsen’s Mill.³ In 1776, the mill was adjacent to where a British ship was docked holding Americans as prisoners in brutal conditions. A few generations later, the property would be the site of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Maps showing location of Hans property in 1766 and 1874.

When Hans sold his Brooklyn property, he seems to have moved to Hempstead,³ a Dutch and English community located further east on Long Island. A probate record suggests that he died here in late 1726, and that his wife was deceased at that time as well.³ The inventory of his estate was taken on October 1, 1726. Among his possessions were 17 sheep, 8 cows, one steer, 4 other cattle, several calves, 9 swine and 2 mares — a decent-sized farm for colonial Long Island.

Children:
1. George Bergen — B. 9 Oct 1712, Brooklyn, New York;² D. 13 Oct 1784, Cranberry, New Jersey;⁵ M. (1) Margaret Dumont (1715-1743), 3 Jun 1738;² (2) Maria Hoagland (1720-1770);² (3) Mareya Van Nuys (~1727-?), 22 Aug 1771²

2. Mattie Bergen — B. about 1713, Long Island, New York;⁶ D. 13 Feb 1768, Somerset County, New Jersey;⁷ M. Abraham Dumont (1706-1787), 10 Aug 1733⁷

3. Evert Bergen — B. 1717, Long Island, New York;² D. 17 Nov 1776, Somerset County, New Jersey;² M. Jane Hegeman, 1739²

Sources:
1    Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings County, New York, Vol. 1, 1677-1720, David William Voorhees, 1998, p. 431
2    “The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including Its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt,” Harry Macy Jr., New York Genealogical and Biographical Record Vol. 128, no. 2, p. 81
3    The Bergen family, or the descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen, one of the early settlers of New York and Brooklyn, L.I., Teunis G. Bergen, 1876, pp. 395-399
4    American Prisoners of the Revolution (website), Danske Dandridge  
5    Find-a-Grave listing of George Bergen  
6    Mattie Bergen’s birth year estimate is based on date of her marriage
7    “Wallerand Dumont and his Somerset County Descendants,” John B. Dumont, Somerset County Quarterly, Volume 1, 1912

An Expert in Digging Wells — Jacques Archambault

B. 1605 in L’Ardillière, La Rochelle, Aunis, France¹
M. (1) 24 Jan 1629 in La-Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée, France¹
Wife: Françoise Toureau
M. (2) 26 Jan 1666 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France²
Wife: Marie Deneau
D. 15 Feb 1688 in Montreal, New France³

The early French population of Canada was made of rugged people, some of whom brought unique skills to the colony. One of these was Jacques Archambualt, who among other things, knew how to find potable water. And he has been credited with digging the first well in Montreal.

Jacques was born in 1605 in the village of L’Ardillière, France,¹ which is a few miles inland from La Rochelle. His parents were Antoine Archambault and Renée Ouvrard, and he had at least one brother and one sister.⁴ On January 24, 1629, Jacques married Françoise Toureau (also spelled Tourault) in the town of La-Roche-sur-Yon.¹ They had seven children, all born in France between 1630 and 1642, one of whom died young. Records show that Jacques may have been a winemaker in the La Rochelle area.⁴

The house where Jacques was born in L'Ardillière (now called Saint-Xandre), France.

In about 1646, he and his family boarded a ship bound for New France.⁴ Jacques was under contract to Pierre Lagardeur de Repentigny, and on October 2, 1647, he signed a five-year lease on some of Lagarduer’s land.⁴ Jacques was granted another piece of land in Cap-Rouge on September 15, 1651.⁴ This property had 4 arpents of frontage on the St. Lawrence River.

During his family’s time in New France, Jacques married off three of his daughters, with two of the marriages happening on the same day in 1648.^5,6 The colony had a shortage of marriageable women, and the arrival of his daughters must have interested many of the men of New France. One of his daughters, Marie, was only 12-years-old at the time of her marriage. She married a man named Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne, who had been granted land in the new settlement of Montreal.

Jacques became interested in joining the Montreal settlement, too, and for the next few years, he seems to have spent some of his time there.⁴ Montreal was having trouble developing because of its proximity to the Iroquois. The importance of the location to the French was due to the fur trade, which was pushing further and further into Indian territory. The settlers in the Montreal settlement were constantly on guard to defend their homes.

During 1651, an incident with the Iroquois directly involved Jacques. On May 6th, some Iroquois warriors came upon two settlers named Jean Chicot and Jean Boudart. The Iroquois followed Boudart to his house where they captured his wife, and when he tried to fight them off, he was killed. Three other settlers arrived on the scene to help, and one of them was Jacques. Unfortunately, Boudart’s wife was taken away, then tortured and burned alive. After not being able to help the Boudarts, Jacques and his companions went out to look for Jean Chicot. They found he had been scalped and left for dead, but he somehow survived and lived another 16 years.⁷

Later that year, Jacques suffered a personal tragedy involving the Iroquois raids. On July 26th, a force of 200 warriors attacked Montreal. Jacques’ 20-year-old son Denis was firing a cannon at the attackers, but it exploded, killing him.⁴

The French had to find a long-term solution for the Iroquois problem or give up settling in Montreal. They needed to strengthen their numbers by getting more people to commit to staying there. On November 18, 1652, Jacques was granted 30 arpents near Montreal’s newly-built fort.⁴ As the focus turned to developing Montreal into a town, Governor Paul de Chomedey commissioned Jacques to build a well at the fort.⁴ Jacques signed a contract on October 11, 1658 and was paid 300 livres for the project. The well was such a success, he was hired to build a well at the hospital the following year, and another well for a man’s farm the year after that. The well at the fort was the first ever built in Montreal, and the site today bears a plaque with Jacques’ name on it. 

The site of the first well built in Montreal. (Source: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

On December 9, 1663, Jacques' wife Françoise died.⁸ He married a widow named Marie Deneau (also spelled Denot), on January 26, 1666.² Jacques lived out the rest of his life amongst his family. In 1678, his surviving son Laurent, along with his sons-in-law, offered him a pension because he was too old to work.⁹ Jacques died on February 15, 1688.³

Because Jacques arrived in New France at least a generation before most others and his daughters married so young, he has hundreds of thousands of descendants. The most famous of them are Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Jack Kerouac, Jim Carrey, Kelsey Grammer, Bridget Fonda, Jane Krakowski, Dan Aykroyd, Alex Trebek, Adrienne Barbeau, Leo Durocher, Liza Minelli, Mark Wahlberg and Angelina Jolie.¹⁰

Children:
1. Denis Archambault — B. 12 Sep 1630, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;⁴ D. 26 Jul 1651, Montreal, New France¹¹

2. Jacquette Archambault — B. 12 Sep 1630, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;¹² D. 17 Dec 1700, Ville de Quebec, New France;¹³ M. Paul Chalifour (1612-~1679), 28 Sep 1648, Quebec City, New France¹⁴

3. Anne Archambault — B. about 1632, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;¹⁵ D. 29 Jul 1699, Montreal, New France;¹⁶ M. (1) Michel Chauvin (1612-?), 27 Jul 1647, Quebec City, New France;¹⁷ (2) Jean Gervaise (1616-1690), 3 Feb 1654, Montreal, New France¹⁸

4. Marie Archambault — B. 24 Feb 1636, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;¹⁹ D. 16 Aug 1719, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;²⁰ M. Urbain Tessier (1626-1689), 28 Sep 1648, Quebec City, New France²¹

5. Marie-Anne Archambault — B. about 1638, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;²² D. 8 Aug 1685, Montreal, New France;²³ M. Gilles Lauzon, 27 Nov 1656, Montreal, New France²⁴

6. Louise Archambault — B. 18 Mar 1640, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;²⁵ D. young⁴

7. Laurent Archambault — B. 10 Jan 1642, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, La Rochelle, Aunis, France;²⁶ D. 19 Apr 1730, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;²⁷ M. Catherine Marchand (~1644-1713), 7 Jan 1660, Montreal, New France²⁸

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jacques Archambault 
2    Marriage record of Jacques Archambault and Marie Deneau, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Jacques Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
4    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1988
5    Marriage record of Paul Chalifour and Jacquette Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Urbain Tessier and Marie Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
7    Montreal: A History, Robert Prevost, 1995
8    Burial record of Françoise Toureau, Q.C.P.R.
9    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du Régime français, Vol. 1, Pierre-Georges Roy and Antoine Roy, 1942, p. 226  
10    FamousKin.com listing of Jacques Archambault  
11    Burial record of Denis Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
12    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jacquette Archambault 
13    Burial record of Jacquette Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
14    Marriage record of Paul Chalifour and Jacquette Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
15    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Anne Archambault 
16    Burial record of Anne Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
17    Marriage record of Michel Chauvin and Anne Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
18    Marriage record of Jean Gervaise and Anne Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
19    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marie Archambault 
20    Burial record of Marie Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
21    Marriage record of Urbain Tessier and Marie Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
22    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marie-Anne Archambault 
23    Burial record of Marie-Anne Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
24    Marriage record of Gilles Lauzon and Marie-Anne Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
25    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Louise Archambault 
26    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Laurent Archambault 
27    Burial record of Laurent Archambault, Q.C.P.R.
28    Marriage record of Laurent Archambault and Catherine Marchand, Q.C.P.R.

Sea Captain and Fur Trader in New France — Vital Caron

B. 11 Aug 1673 in La Prairie, New France¹
M. 24 Jan 1698 in Montreal, New France²
Wife: Marie Perthuis
D. 20 Apr 1745 in Lachine, New France³

New France’s system of rivers and lakes played a part in nearly every habitant’s life, and many made a living off of them. Vital Caron ran ships used in the fur trade, and also sometimes used his ships in the defense of the colony.

Vital was born on August 11, 1673 in La Prairie,¹ a settlement on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River across from Montreal. His parents were Claude Caron and Madeleine Varennes, and he was one of eight children. On January 24, 1698, Vital married Marie Perthuis in Montreal.² They had eight children born between 1698 and 1713.

Vital and his family settled in Lachine, which is on the island of Montreal.⁴ This was a home base for his fur trading activity, and expeditions often took him far from home. Records show that he traveled to Fort Pontchartrain (Detroit) arriving there on April 3, 1707,⁵ a time when it was a remote outpost. Often when Vital was away, wife Marie looked after his business affairs, a common situation for fur trading men.

Vital was captain of the Lachine militia, a rank he held as early as 1711,⁶ and at least until December 1723.⁷ France supplied some military to its colonies in America, but forces were supplemented with local militias in times of need. A sea captain like Vital played an important role when the colony came under threat, having the resources to navigate soldiers and supplies up and down the St. Lawrence River and beyond.

On the water near Montreal in the 18th century.

On one occasion, Vital may have been involved in taking goods from an abandoned English ship. In October 1711, a fur trader named Margane de Lavaltrie came upon an English shipwreck along the St. Lawrence River. The ship had been part of a fleet of English ships that had sailed from Boston in order to attack New France. Margane said that Vital was the captain of a ship that had gotten to the shipwreck before he did, and that his men had “pillaged the wreckage.”⁶ It’s not known if Vital faced any legal action for raiding the enemy ship.

In 1713, Vital was named in a lawsuit regarding the transport of goods between Lachine and Fort Pontchartrain.⁸ Two men named Desrouchers and Paul Chavalier were accused of transporting the items without a permit. Vital was a recipient of the goods, but was not charged with a crime.

List of goods seized from Vital on March 6, 1713. (Source: BAnQ)

Vital had a more personal legal matter in 1723 involving one of his daughters, Angélique. The 17-year-old girl had become pregnant out-of-wedlock, and Vital had a young man named Jean-Baptiste Girard charged with rape. The court found him guilty and Girard was ordered “to be forthwith led and conveyed under good and safe guard to the parish church of Lachine, for there the marriage between him and Angélique Caron to be celebrated in the accustomed manner if she and her father and mother consent thereto.”⁷ But Girard appealed to the Supreme Council and the ruling was overturned,⁹ so the marriage never took place. Angélique gave birth to a baby girl on October 15, 1723, and she was named Marie-Jeanne Girard.¹⁰

Vital turned up in court records again in 1729, this time being sued for a sum of money by François Amariton,¹¹ a military captain who had been in charge of an outpost at Green Bay a few years earlier. This case was regarding a debt that Vital and another man apparently owed Amariton from when they were all partners in the fur trade a few years earlier. Also that same year, a charge of assault was brought against Vital and his son Vital also involving fur trading; they were accused of trying to block another man from entering a house to collect pelts he claimed were his.¹² It isn’t known how either of these court cases ended.

After a life spent on the waterways of New France, Vital passed away in Lachine on April 20, 1745.³ He was buried at the Notre-Dame cemetery in Montreal. Vital was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais and Tyrone Power.

Children:
1. Marie-Anne Caron — B. 17 Dec 1698, Montreal, New France;¹³ D. 1 Apr 1754, Chateauguay, New France;¹⁴ M. (1) Jacques Pare (1695-1719), 16 Nov 1717, Lachine, New France;¹⁵ (2) Paul Hotesse (1682-1730), 22 Sep 1728, Montreal, New France;¹⁶ (3) Jacques Forestier (1695-1747), 5 Nov 1736, Montreal, New France¹⁷

2. Vital Caron — B. 14 May 1700, New France;¹⁸ D. 18 Apr 1747, Fort Detroit, New France;¹⁹ M. Marie-Madeleine Pruneau (1708-?), 20 Jul 1735, Fort Detroit, New France²⁰

3. Marie Caron — B. 19 Apr 1702, Montreal, New France;²¹ D. 4 Aug 1782, Montmorency, New France;²² M. Jean-Baptiste Brault (1699-1773), 14 Dec 1721, Lachine, New France²³

4. Jean-Baptiste Caron — B. 26 Apr 1704, Lachine, New France;⁴ D. 5 Nov 1785, Chateauguay, New France;²⁴ (1) Josephe Tabault (1708-1749), 26 Oct 1733, Montreal, New France;²⁵ (2) Josephe Duquet (1726-1784), 7 Apr 1750, Chateauguay, New France²⁶

5. Angélique Caron — B. 17 Feb 1706, Lachine, New France;²⁷ M. (1) Pierre Lamothe (~1693-1752), 21 Jan 1740, Montreal, New France;²⁸ (2) Michel Henry (~1727-?), 6 Jun 1757, Montreal, New France²⁹

6. Catherine Caron — B. 25 Dec 1707, Montreal, New France;³⁰ D. 25 Nov 1799, Lachine, New France;³¹ M. Antoine Picard (1700-1779), 8 Jan 1731, Lachine, New France³²

7. Jeanne Caron — B. 27 Nov 1709, Lachine, New France;³³ D. 13 Aug 1757, Montreal, New France;³⁴ M. Pierre Meloche (1701-1760), 16 aug 1729, Lachine, New France³⁵

8. Madeleine Caron — B. 1713, New France;³⁶ D. 18 Apr 1769, Lachine, New France;³⁷ M. Antoine Tabault (1710-?), 10 Jan 1735, Lachine, New France³⁸

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Vital Caron, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Vital Caron and Marie Perthuis, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Vital Caron, Q.C.P.R.
4    Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Caron, Q.C.P.R.
5    Voyageur contract of Vital Caron, 2 Apr 1707, Montreal Notarial Records, Canadian Archives 
6    Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Volume III  
7    Records of court case between Vital Caron and Jean-Baptiste Girard, BAnQ 
8    Record of case of Desrochers and Paul Chevalier, 1713, BAnQ 
9    Judgment overturning case against Jean-Baptiste Girard, BAnQ 
10  Baptismal record of Marie-Jeanne Girard, Q.C.P.R.
11  Records of court case between Vital Caron and François Amariton, BAnQ 
12  Records of court case between Alexis Trottier DesRuisseaux and Vital Caron, BAnQ 
13  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Marie-Anne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jacques Pare and Marie-Anne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Paul Hotesse and Marie-Anne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jacques Forestier and Marie-Anne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Vital Caron (younger), Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Vital Caron (younger), Ste. Anne, Detroit, Michigan Registres, 1704-1780, Detroit Public Library
20  Marriage record of Vital Caron and Marie Pruneau, U.S., French Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1695-1954, Ancestry.com
21  Baptismal record of Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Brault and Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Caron, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Caron and Josephe Tabault, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Caron and Josephe Duquet, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Angélique Caron, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Pierre Lamothe and Angélique Caron, Q.C.P.R.
29  Marriage record of Michael Henry and Angélique Caron, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Catherine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Catherine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Antoine Picard and Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Jeane Caron, Q.C.P.R.
35  Marriage record of Pierre Lamothe and Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
36  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Madeleine Caron 
37  Burial record of Madeleine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Antoine Tabault and Madeleine Caron, Q.C.P.R.

Farm Likely Ruined in War — François Levron dit Nantais

B. about 1651 in (probably) Nantes, France¹
M. 1676 in Port-Royal, Acadia¹
Wife: Agnés-Catherine Savoie
D. 23 Jun 1714 in Port-Royal, Acadia¹

Decades before the expulsion of 1755, English forces were brutally dealing with Acadians. During the first few years of the 18th century, an attack on Port-Royal left many farms destroyed, and François Levron dit Nantais seems to have been one of the victims. ;

François' origins and exact birth year are unknown, but his surname on some records indicates he may have been born in Nantes, France, and records giving his age suggest he was born between 1650 and 1653.¹ His arrival in Acadia was believed to be after the 1671 census, and before 1676, the year he got married.¹ His wife was Agnés-Catherine Savoie, a native of Acadia, who may have been as young as 14-years-old at the time of their marriage.¹ Between about 1677 and about 1700, they had nine children.

After François arrived in Acadia, he seems to have spent the rest of his life in Port-Royal as a farmer. The settlement had around 500 inhabitants and was the largest town in the colony. Censuses taken between 1686 and 1700 show that François’ farm was thriving, with up to 18 sheep and 12 cattle, plus some hogs and 20 fruit trees, on 15 arpents of land.^2,3 But in 1707 his farm was much smaller, with only one-half arpent of land and two cattle. That year, he and his wife had seven children living in the household.

The years between the 1700 Census and the 1707 Census were not peaceful ones in Port-Royal. There was war between France and England that spilled over into their colonies. Forces from New England attacked Acadia several times, trying to take control from the French. This culminated in some fierce fighting in 1707. The New Englanders were defeated, but it was reported that they had “wrought considerable havoc by burning down many houses, killing livestock, and uprooting grain and crops.”⁵ It's likely that one of the farms that was attacked belonged to François.

The English destroyed the farms of French settlers in many parts of New France, especially in Acadia.

The New England forces returned in 1710 and successfully took control of Acadia, which marked the beginning of the end for the French settlers.⁵ François died on June 23, 1714, and the generations of his family that followed were pushed out of Port-Royal. with his descendants migrating to other places in New France. Some went to Ile-St-Jean (Prince Edward Island), some went to Ile-Royal (Cape Breton), and one son went to Boucherville, Quebec. Later generations would migrate to the Great Lakes region, the Illinois territory, and after being exiled from Acadia during the 1750s, New Orleans.⁶

Children:
1. Jacques Levron — B. about 1677, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁷ D. about 1745, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁸ M. Marie-Marian Doucet (~1694-1746), 8 Jan 1710, Port-Royal, Acadia⁷

2. Madeleine Levron — B. about 1678, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁹ M. Clement Vincent (~1674-?), 1698, Port-Royal, Acadia⁹

3. Anne Levron — B. about 1684, Port-Royal, Acadia³

4. Marie Levron — B. about 1685, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹⁰ D. 1 Aug 1727, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹¹ M. (1) Jean Garceau (1678-~1710), 20 Nov 1703, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹⁰ (2) Alexandre Richard (~1686-?), 26 Dec 1711, Acadia¹⁰

5. Elisabeth Levron — B. about 1690, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹² M. (1) Michel Picot (~1685-~1711), 3 Nov 1705, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹² (2) Yves Maucaire (~1680-?), 8 Jan 1712, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹² (3) Etienne Comeau (~1680-1758), 29 Nov 1730, Port-Royal, Acadia¹²

6. Joseph Levron — B. about 1691, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹³ D. after 17 Jan 1752, (possibly) Fort Frontenac, New France;¹⁴ M. (1) Rose Veronneau (1700-1735), 12 Sep 1722, Boucherville, Quebec;¹³ (2) Catherine Brunet (1681-~1756), 26 Jan 1750, Fort Frontenac, New France¹³

7. Jean-Baptiste Levron — B. about 1692, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹⁵ before 2 Mar 1756;¹⁶ M. Françoise Labauve (~1696-?), 13 Jan 1716, Port-Royal, Acadia¹⁵

8. Jeanne Levron — B. about 1694, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹⁷ D. 19 Jan 1751, Port-Royal, Acadia;¹⁷ M. Augustin Comeau (~1688-1741), 12 Feb 17, Port-Royal, Acadia¹⁷

9. Pierre Levron — B. about 1696, Port-Royal, Acadia;⁶ D. Jan 1725, Acadia⁶

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of François Levron 
2    1686 Acadian census  
3    1700 Acadian census  
4    1707 Acadian census (listed as le bonhomme Nantois)
5    A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from their American Homeland, John Mack Faragher, 2005
6    Acadians in Gray (website)  
7    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jacques Levron 
8    WikiTree listing of Jacques Levron  
9    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Madeleine Levron 
10  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marie Levron 
11  WikiTree listing of Marie Levron  
12  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Isabelle Levron 
13  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Joseph Levron
14  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marie-Josephte Levron (Joseph’s death was after her marriage)  
15  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jean-Baptiste Levron
16  WikiTree listing of Jean-Baptiste Levron  
17  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jeanne Levron

Building Mills in Bedford, New Hampshire — John Riddle

B. 30 Oct 1754 in Bedford, New Hampshire¹
M. (1) about 1775 in (probably) Bedford, New Hampshire²
Wife: Mary McAfee
M. (2) 22 Dec 1809, New Hampshire³
Wife: Sarah Hartshorn
D. 17 Nov 1814 in Bedford, New Hampshire¹

A man who could build things was valuable to his community, especially during colonial times. During the late 18th century, John Riddle helped construct mills and bridges in the place he lived his entire life: Bedford, New Hampshire.

John was born on October 30, 1754 in Bedford to Gawn Riddle and Mary Bell,¹ their oldest child; he had four younger brothers and one sister. His parents’ heritage was Scottish, as were many of the people in Bedford. In about 1775, John married a young woman named Agnes McAfee (or McDuffee),² who was born in about 1756. John and Mary had nine children born between 1777 and 1793.

John came of age around the start of the American Revolution, and he signed the Declaration of the Inhabitants of New Hampshire in 1776.⁵ This was a statement of support for the fight for independence, and all young men in New Hampshire were encouraged to sign it.

The following year, John decided to become a soldier, and enlisted in the First New Hampshire Regiment.⁶ During John’s service, the regiment was present at both battles at Saratoga (1777), and the Battle of Monmouth (1778).⁷ In the summer of 1779, they were involved in an action called Sullivan’s Expedition, a “scorched earth” campaign against Loyalists and Iroquois in western New York.⁸ It isn’t known if John actually participated in any of these campaigns, but it’s likely that he did. His service continued at least into 1780; on a muster roll from July of that year, he was listed as being sick in the hospital, and seems to have been back within a few months.⁹

One of many muster rolls from the American Revolution showing John Riddle.

In his civilian life, John was known to be a millwright, and around 1781, he built a saw mill and a grist mill on the Piscataquog River.⁵ At least one of the mills was still in operation into the 20th century.⁶ He also was involved in constructing bridges in the Bedford area, including one in 1785.⁶ And in April 1786, he was on a Bedford building committee for an enclosure made of stone to replace a previous one made of logs.⁶ The enclosure to keep stray livestock until the animals could be claimed by their owners.

In addition to the other things he built, during the 1770s or 1780s, John constructed his own house.¹⁰ Remarkably, it’s still standing in 2022 near the intersection of New Amherst Road and Wallace Road in Bedford.¹⁰ The official description of the house describes it as a single-story clapboard Cape Cod with a center chimney.

John's house in Bedford.

John’s wife Agnes died on July 20, 1807.¹¹ He married a second wife, Sarah Hartshorn, on December 22, 1809 and they had two children. John passed away on November 17, 1814,⁴ and was buried in Bedford Center Cemetery. The inventory of his possessions was made the following year, and it showed that his oldest son, Gawn, was working as his partner and shared ownership of his carpentry equipment.¹²

Children by Mary McAfee:
1. Gawn Riddle — B. 28 Jun 1777, Bedford, New Hampshire;¹³ D. Jul 1837, Bedford, New Hampshire;¹⁴ M. Dolly French (1778-?), 20 Feb 1800, Merrimack, New Hampshire¹⁵

2. Mary Riddle — B. 11 Dec 1778, Bedford, New Hampshire;¹⁶ D. 22 Jun 1854, Frankfort, Maine;¹⁷ M. John Black (1769-1842), 2 Jan 1814, Prospect, Maine⁶

3. Agnes Riddle — B. 5 Jan 1781, Bedford, New Hampshire;¹⁸ D. 20 Jun 1852, Prospect, Maine;¹⁸ M. William French (1781-1847), 9 Feb 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire¹⁹

4. Susanna Riddle — B. about 1784, Bedford, New Hampshire;²⁰ M. Daniel Moor (1780-1850), 24 Sep 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire²¹

5. James Riddle — B. 9 Jan 1786, Bedford, New Hampshire;²² D. Mar 1827, (probably) Bedfore, New Hampshire;⁶ M. Anna Dole (1790-1849), 6 Dec 1815, Bedford, New Hampshire²³

6. Anna Riddle —B. May 1789, Bedford, New Hampshire;⁶ M. James Staples (1786-1869), 10 Aug 1811, Prospect, Maine²⁴

7. William Riddle — B. 1791, Bedford, New Hampshire;⁵ D. 1845, Bedford, New Hampshire⁵

8. John Riddle — B. about 1791, Bedford, New Hampshire;⁵ D. about 1812⁵

9. Matthew Riddle — B. 1793, Bedford, New Hampshire;²⁵ D. 1 Sep 1828, Terre Haute, Indiana;²⁵ M. Sarah Dole (~1792-1844), 13 Dec 1819, Butler County, Ohio²⁶

Children by Sarah Hartshorn:
1. Gilman Riddle — B. 25 July 1811, Bedford, New Hampshire;²⁷ D. 25 May 1893, Manchester, New Hampshire;²⁷ M. (1) Mary J. Eveleth (1811-1839), 1836;²⁸ (2) Emeline Henry (1811-1899), 1841²⁹

2. Eliza S, Riddle — B. 1814, Bedford, New Hampshire;³⁰ D. 18 Sep 1859;³⁰ M. William Wiseman West (1807-1872)³⁰

Sources:
1    Birth record of John Riddle, New Hampshire Births and Christenings, 1714-1904, FamilySearch.org 
2    John’s marriage to Agnes McAfee is based on birth of oldest child, Gawn
3    Marriage of John Riddle and Sarah Hartshorn, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
4    Death notice of John Riddle, The Farmers Cabinet (newspaper), 19 Dec 1814
5    History of Bedford New-Hampshire, being statistics compiled on the occasion of the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town, Alfred Mudge, 1851
6    The History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737, Rumford Printing Company, 1903
7    1st New Hampshire regiment (Wikipedia article) 
8    Sullivan’s Expedition (Wikipedia article)  
9    American Revolution service records of John Riddle, Fold3.com
10  New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources: Bedford Center Historic District, 2013 (PDF)
11  Death notice of Mrs. Agnes Riddle, The Farmers Cabinet, 28 Jul 1807
12  Probate inventory of John Riddle, 22 Mar 1815, Bedford, New Hampshire
13  Christening record of Gawn Riddle, N. H. B. & C.  
14  WikiTree listing of Gawn Riddle
15  Marriage record of Gowen Riddel and Dolly French, New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920, FamilySearch.org
16  Birth record of Mary Riddle, N. H. B. & C.  
17  Find-a-Grave listing of Mary “Molly” (Riddle) Black 
18  Find-a-Grave listing of Nancy Agnes (Riddle) French 
19  Marriage record of William French and Agnes Riddle, N. H. M.
20  WikiTree listing of Susanna (Riddle) Moor  
21  Marriage record of Daniel Moor and Susanna Riddle, N. H. M.
22  Birth record of James Riddle, N. H. B. & C.  
23  Marriage record of James Riddle and Anna Dole, N. H. M.  
24  Marriage record of James Staples and Anna Riddle 
25  WikiTree listing of Matthew Riddle
26  Marriage record of Matthew Riddle and Sarah Dole, Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958, FamilySearch.org
27  Find-a-Grave listing of Gilman Riddle  
28  Marriage record of Gilman Riddle and Mary J. Eveleth, N. H. M.
29  Marriage record of Gilman Riddle and Emeline Henry, N. H. M.
30  Find-a-Grave listing of Eliza L. (Riddle) West

Woman Who Helped Found Hartford — Dorothy Hooker

B. about 1589 in (probably) Marefield, Leicestershire, England¹
M. 1 Jun 1609 in Birstall, England¹
Husband: John Chester
D. before 27 May 1662 in Hartford, Connecticut¹

Dorothy Hooker’s life was largely shaped by the fact her brother was a prominent Puritan minister. But she had enough status in her own right to later have her name engraved on a monument as a founder of a city.

Dorothy was born in about 1589, probably in the village of Marefield, England,¹ which was in Leicestershire. Her parents were Thomas Hooker and Susannah Pym, and she was one of at least six children. On June 1, 1609, Dorothy married John Chester at Bristall, England.¹ They had two known children, one of whom died likely as an infant. John died in 1628, leaving Dorothy as a widow.

Even though Dorothy was about 38-years-old, she opted to not get remarried. Instead, she seemed to follow the path of Reverend Thomas Hooker, her older brother. Hooker began preaching at a time when Puritans were under the threat of authorities in England. For a few years, he escaped persecution by moving to the Netherlands, then he made the decision to migrate to Massachusetts. He arrived on the ship Griffin on September 4, 1633 along with his wife and children, and it's likely that Dorothy and her son Leonard were also on the ship.²

Reverend Hooker first settled in Newtown, Massachusetts, but had disagreement over some issues with the colony leaders, and he made plans to settle elsewhere. He obtained a grant of land in the Connecticut valley, and in 1636 led a group of 100 people there. They were the original settlers of Hartford, and Dorothy was among them.¹

Painting of Rev. Hooker's 1636 journey into Connecticut.

Dorothy's brother had a significant influence on Hartford during its early days. Hooker felt that all Christian men should have the right to vote, not just those who had been through the screening process of becoming a freeman. He once said, “The foundation of authority is laid firstly in the free consent of the people.”³ In January 1639, he and his followers created a document called “Fundamental Orders of Connecticut,” which is been thought to have been the earliest “democratic constitution establishing a representative government” in the world.³

Shortly after the Fundamental Orders were ratified, the land in Hartford was divided into lots for the settlers. Dorothy may have been the only woman to be given land in her own right.¹ Her town lot was shown on a 1640 map to be at the end of a block of what was later Main Street.⁴ She was given two years to build a house there; it’s not known if she actually did.

1640 Hartford map showing the plot of land granted to Dorothy.

Dorothy’s name turned up in early Hartford court records. In 1649, she made a complaint against three people named George Chappell, Goody Coleman and Daniel Turner whom she accused of “misdemeanors.”⁵ Daniel Turner was mentioned as having “libeled” Dorothy, and he was given a harsh sentence that included both a prison term and two public whippings.

Reverend Hooker died in 1647,³ and Dorothy’s son Leonard passed away in 1648.⁶ Sometime in 1662, Dorothy's estate was inventoried on May 27, 1662,¹ so we know that she died by that date. Years later, she would be one of only two women named on the Hartford Founders Monument. Dorothy left some noteworthy descendants, including Calvin Coolidge, Bette Davis, Endicott Peabody (governor of Massachusetts), writer Archibald MacLeish, actor Orson Bean, and Kyra Sedgwick.⁷

Hartford Founders' Monument showing Dorothy Chester.

Children:
1. Leonard Chester — B. 15 Jul 1610, Blaby, Leicestershire, England;⁶ D. 11 Dec 1648, Wethersfield, Connecticut;⁶ M. Mary ______ (~1608-1688), 1634, Wethersfield, Connecticut¹

2. Elizabeth Chester — B. 6 Feb 1625, England;¹ D. young

Sources:
1    The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
2    According to GMB, she was in the colony by late 1634 — her connection to Thomas Hooker makes it seem likely she traveled with him.
3    Thomas Hooker (Wikipedia article) — both citations in his paragraph, plus his death in last paragraph
4    The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, Volume 1, James Hammond Trumbull, 1886
5    A Catalogue of the Names of the early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut, Royal Ralph Hinman, 1852
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Leonard Chester
7    FamousKin.com listing of Dorothy Hooker